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Jim Gardiner

Jim Gardiner
Director of Horticulture
RHS Garden Wisley

Jim Gardiner is the recently appointed Director of Horticulture for the Royal Horticultural Society and has previously been Curator and Chief Curator based at Wisley for over twenty years. Before that he was Curator at the Hillier Gardens and Arboretum. His primary interest is in woody plants, in particular Magnolias on which he has written two books, “Magnolias, their Care and Cultivation” and “Magnolias, A Gardener’s Guide”.

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Sculpture, fun and the ultimate in recycling at Wisley

Our Wild at Wisley children's play area opened recently, and this week we've installed the new sign. It was skillfully carved by Kirsty Summerhayes who works in the Fruit and Trials department, from wood from a fallen oak tree in the garden. Wood is the major theme here, and Paul Sivell has carved a snail, an old man of the woods, dragons and more, similarly from Wisley trees. In fact all the materials for this area have been locally sourced, making it the ultimate in recycling to produce plenty of fun.

We've got a range of play items such as balance beams, stepping logs, a tree trunk to play on the ground, a grass maze and a dry moat. And we'll be adding other play items during the autumn, so they'll be something new to explore. Where is Wild at Wisley? Well, you can find it at the entrance to the Arboretum, adjacent to the Glasshouse Garden.

More sculptures are arriving in the garden now, as we welcome the return of the Surrey Sculpture Trail, running from 29th August until 30th September, with over 60 works of garden art, interspersed amongst the glorious late summer borders and in tranquil spots around the stunning gardens at Wisley.

And if you visit us during the Wisley Flower Show, (Friday 11th until Sunday 13th September), you can enjoy floral displays and plants for sale from over 30 nurseries, as well as take the Sculpture Society Trail... on top, of course, of seeing Wisley in all its late summer splendour. See you soon.